The Worst Books of 2021: Nonfiction
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Since 2021 started off with the then-President of the United States inciting a violent insurrection to overthrow the US government, and since there will always be fascist-friendly publishers willing to make a quick profit on even the most appalling subject matter, 2021 is ending in a flurry of some of the worst, most disgraceful books ever published in US history. The rest of the publishing industry did its best to keep up with this tsunami of sedition, of course; picking the ten worst was a challenge. Here they are:
10 The Chief's Chief by Mark Meadows (All Seasons Press) - On January 6, 2021, President Donald Trump incited a violent insurrection to attack the US Capitol, overthrow the US government, and install himself as an unelected dictator. Mark Meadows publicly endorsed this attempted coup. Shame on All Seasons Press for giving him a book contract.
9 The Tyranny of Big Tech by Josh Hawley (Regnery Publishing) On January 6, 2021, President Donald Trump incited a violent insurrection to attack the US Capitol, overthrow the US government, and install himself as an unelected dictator. Josh Hawley publicly endorsed this attempted coup. Shame on Regnery Publishing for giving him a book contract.
8 In Trump Time: A Journal of America’s Plague by Peter Navarro (All Seasons Press) - On January 6, 2021, President Donald Trump incited a violent insurrection to attack the US Capitol, overthrow the US government, and install himself as an unelected dictator. Peter Navarro publicly endorsed this attempted coup. Shame on All Seasons Press for giving him a book contract.
7 Do What You Said You Would Do by Jim Jordan (Post Hill Press) - On January 6, 2021, President Donald Trump incited a violent insurrection to attack the US Capitol, overthrow the US government, and install himself as an unelected dictator. Peter Navarro publicly endorsed this attempted coup. Shame on Post Hill Press for giving him a book contract.
6 The Authoritarian Moment: How the Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent by Ben Shapiro (Broadside Books) – Very smart and very lazy Ben Shapiro takes a legitimate social issue - the rise of the authoritarian Left - and lavishes pan-shallow unoriginal platitudes on them while cloaking the whole mess in the fascists talking points of the very monsters who consider him a useful idiot.
5 Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm by Robin DiAngelo (Beacon Press) - I wouldn’t have thought it possible that the author of White Fragility could write a book more virulently racist in just one lifetime, but this noxious volume - in which she makes clear that all white people are racist genetically, regardless of upbringing, education, or outlook (Klan members will find such claims familiar-sounding, only in a slightly different context) - does the trick.
4 Blood by Neil Strauss (Dey Street) – Considering the fact that half the books on this list are written by fascist traitors who are even now free men fully intent on overthrowing the United States government, it might seem more than a little silly to include a dumb celebrity bio, but the list goes where it must - and this particular celebrity bio is so thoroughly, brazenly fraudulent that it certainly worked to earn a spot.
3 The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything by Michio Kaku (Doubleday) – Take a physicist whose reputation is largely based on jargon and double-talk, add huge amounts of Wikipedia-style canned science and history, top it all off with some vapid maunderings about the current state of theoretical physics, be careful always to leave the door open for God, and you have this worthless little cantata of condescension.
2 After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences about Life and Beyond by Bruce Greyson (St Martins) – It was Sherlock Holmes who said “When a doctor goes wrong he is the first of criminals,” and that quote comes to mind when reading this extended anti-science, medically insane volume about near-death experiences and what they must Mean. The actual medical answer - “nothing” - presumably wasn’t long enough for a book.
1 Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson (Portfolio) – Popular cod-philosopher and pseudo-intellectual grifter Jordan Peterson for years characterized his million-selling book 12 Rules for Life as a final, self-contained summation of insights. But there’s gold in them thar incels, and so we now have a sequel - every bit as dumb, droning, and derivative as its predecessor and the worst non-treason nonfiction book of the year.